ValiRx Plc (LON:VAL) said “commercial activity” around its lead cancer drug candidate has continued as it updated on both VAL401 and next in the queue, VAL201.
Chief executive, Dr Satu Vainikka, said she looked forward to the “successful crystallisation of substantial value for patients and shareholders".
“Since the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly looking for novel new therapies in the oncology arena, I believe we are in a new and very exciting phase,” she explained.
“VAL401 has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy, VAL201 is increasingly showing its therapeutic potential and our pre-clinical compounds and platform continue to progress along the value-chain and towards the clinic.”
Lung cancer treatment
Preparations are currently being made to take the former which is being developed to tackle lung cancer, into final-stage clinical trials.
ValiRx said the principal investigators have now approved and signed the clinical study report and that the process of submission to and approval by the local ethics committees has commenced.
“Detailed discussions are in progress in respect to a pivotal phase III trial,” the company said in its update.
“Partners external to ValiRx and ValiSeek will have substantial input into the trial design, with first dosing anticipated next year.”
VAL201, meanwhile, has demonstrated “consistently high” safety and tolerability in hormone-sensitive and hormone-resistant prostate cancer patients taking part in the firm’s phase I/II trial.
Early inspection of data
Researchers have also made an inspection of the data derived from the original dosing regimen.
Highlighted was a dose-related impact on patients' physiology and chemistry.
Affected was androgen PSA (which regulates the expression of prostate cancer cells) as well as various cell and protein turnover factors important in the treatment of cancer.
“These are in line with anticipated outcomes as far as cancer reduction is concerned,” the company added.